The first major report into the UK’s early Covid-19 response is 144 pages long, but according to Telegraph columnists and hosts of the weekly Planet Normal podcast, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, it contains very little balance.
“There is this striking failure to weigh up any of the disadvantages of lockdown,” Pearson tells this week’s podcast, which you can listen to using the audio player above. “It’s a complete given that this was what we should have done, but we should have done it earlier.”
The report, which says not locking down sooner led to “one of the most important public health failures in UK history”, is part of a movement that “accuses the government always and everywhere of not locking down soon enough”, rather than carrying out a cost-benefit analysis of locking down, according to Halligan. “And there will be more people screaming for lockdowns going forward,” he warns.
Joining Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan on this week’s podcast is award-winning entrepreneur and CEO of Integrity Cleaning, Luke Murfitt, who tells listeners how a diagnosis with Parkinson’s aged just 34 has sped his life up rather than slowing it down, and how he doubled his company turnover over lockdown despite paying his workers more.
Listen to Planet Normal, a weekly Telegraph podcast featuring news and views from beyond the bubble, using the audio player above or subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
